ANEM ALARM: Incidents and unpleasantness towards journalists at the Pride caravan in Kraljevo and Zaječar.

In Kraljevo yesterday, a group of men protesting against the Pride caravan threw various objects, stones, and eggs at participants, bypassing a police cordon, during which local media journalists from LiKVidno.info and Glas Šumadije were hit. As a result, ANEM filed a criminal complaint with the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in this city, along with recordings that confirm the testimony stated in the complaint.

The controversial event occurred while journalist Jovana Ristić from Glas Šumadije and journalist Nenad Simović from the LiKVidno portal were taking a statement from Bojan Lazić, the executive director of the organization “Da se zna!” (Let It Be Known!), the organizer of the Pride caravan. During the conversation, eggs and other objects began to fly from the gathered citizens outside the restricted access area, which was cordoned off by police, towards the area where the journalists were with their interviewee. One or more eggs landed near them and on their clothing and legs.

Due to the throwing of objects and the assessment that continuing the conversation in that location was unsafe, the interview with Bojan Lazić had to be interrupted, after which the journalists left the Square of Serbian Warriors.

On the other hand, at the same event in Zaječar, opponents insulted journalists from the editorial office of Glas Zaječara, Miljak Stojanović and Đorđe Đorđević, showing middle fingers along with other vulgar gestures while shouting insulting messages.

ANEM reminds the police that it is their duty to ensure the safety of participants at any event in public spaces, as well as to allow journalists to report freely from the field.

Any threat to the safety of citizens is unacceptable in a democratic society, and we call on the relevant authorities to identify and prosecute all perpetrators from Kraljevo and Zaječar.

The state is obligated to guarantee respect for human rights, the safety of citizens, and the unobstructed work of media representatives.

ANEM also appeals to all journalists and media representatives to regularly report any threats to their safety while performing their duties, as such cases must be documented and counted to draw the attention of the domestic and international public to the pressures that media in Serbia increasingly face.

All journalists have access to a toll-free phone number and a direct line to ANEM at 0800 100 115, where media representatives can obtain explanations about the legal treatment of offenses and the procedures that need to be initiated to report threats to safety to the relevant institutions, police, and prosecutor's office.

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

The project “Enhancing the System of Prevention and Response Mechanisms in Cases of Threats to the Safety and Lives of Female and Male Journalists in Serbia” is being implemented by ANEM in partnership with Insajder TV and the Center for the Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union.

The OSCE Mission in Serbia supported ANEM's project “24/7 SOS Hotline for Journalists and Other Vulnerable Media Workers,” as part of the EU-funded project “Strengthening Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Serbia.”